Website Test Finds Too Much Copy

In an interview with James Murray of Interwoven, the February 26 edition of The Wise Marketer suggests that e-Retailers should be testing the format, layout, and content of web pages – and not just a little, but in “vast numbers of combinations.” Since eTailers have only nine seconds to make their point, the idea is to make sure website visitors immediately perceive that the retailer has exactly what they are looking for, at the right price, and in the form of a very secure transaction. Murray recommends multi-variable testing of a website, with the web page changing in real time, depending on information the individual imparts as they browse along. UK’s favorite retailer John Lewis was cited as a case in point. Their website featured a test of some 86 content options, leading to over 30,000 combinations. Results proved that removing some of the existing text that was meant to “add value,” actually boosted sales by £2.7 million in a 12 month period.